Toy balloon



March 12, 1940. KRUEGER 2,193,069

TOY BALLOON Filed Feb. 8, 1939WININNIHWIHMIHIWMUIHIHIllllllllmlflmlflllllllllllllmllmflmi PatentedMar. 12, 1940 rants PA IENT or BALLON- Elmer E. Krueger, Chicago, 111.,assignor to Lee- Tex Rubber Products Corporation, Chicago, Ill., 2acorporation of Delaware Application February 8,

1939, Serial'No. 255,306

3 Claims. (01. 464;?)

This invention relates to an inflatable toy balloon having integrallyincorporated therewith a desired design which appears in the form of (l)a shadowyor (2) a constriction, or1(3) both,

when viewed from the exterior. Such a design may be of'anydesired form,contouror figure. In every case the design may be produced in the samedipping operation which is employed in the production of the balloonitself. As a result the design, which enhances the appearance of theballoon and makes it more attractive, maybe produced with no extraexpense or effort, it remains permanently incorporated into the balloonso as to be incapable of erasure therefrom, and

. it may be widely varied as to character, extent,

etc, so as to meet a great variety of situations.

Certain suggestive embodiments of my invention are illustrated in theaccompanying drawing, wherein- Figure l is a View in elevation balloonin the inflated condition;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view in section through the form, asit appearsafter the dipping operation, with a coating of latex composition adhered5 thereto having on the interior surface of the coating certainthickened areas which define a desired design; i

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary enlarged view in sec tion showing a balloonhaving the design which is produced according to Fig. 2; i

Fig. l shows a similar design incorporated into a balloon whose wallsare of increased thickness of an elongated throughout so as to presentwhen inflated, a substantially smooth exterior surface;

Fig. 5 is a view in elevation of a balloon having a modified contourwithdesigns of different figures incorporated into its walls; and

Fig, 6 which is a view similar to Fig. 5 shows an inflated balloonhaving a still different design incorporated into the walls thereof.

According to the usual method now employed, a form F of the size andshape of the intended balloon, in deflated condition, is dipped into abath of latex composition; .upon removal from the bath, the form willcarry an adhering coat which, when stripped and cured, will constitute aballoon B that is susceptible of inflation and use in the usual way. Insuch a balloon the walls 1 are elastic and somewhat translucent so thatlight may pass therethrough. Decorative features which enhance thesalability of such toys are applied usually upon the exterior surface ofthe balloon as by ink, paint of other appropriate marking medium.

According to my invention I provide in the surface of theform depressedareas 8 each of a desired contour or configuration. As shown in Fig.

2, these areas extend peripherally around the form, so that in theballoon produced therewith there is provided a number of circumferential5 bands 9 of increased thickness, relative to the remainder of theballoon body. Owing to the extra wall thickness which defines each bandthe balloon is less translucent at such points than I elsewhere, withthe result that the balloon, when inflated, will present to the eye anumber of peripheral shadows, each corresponding to one of the bands.This is one of the simplest of the designs which may be producedaccording to my invention.

In the construction shown in Fig. 3 the walls of the balloon between thebands are slightly arched, as at a, with the result that, in a conditionof inflation, the exterior surface of the balloon presents a series ofundulations extending lengthwise thereof. This undulatory efl'ect isenhanced by the inability of the balloon walls to expand as freely wherethickened, i. e., in the region of the bands, with the consequence thatthe adjacent thinner portions of the balloon walls expand more readily,thereby producing the undulatory efiect just noted.

In the construction of Fig. 4 the exterior surface of the inflatedballoon is maintained smooth. When the form emerges from the bath thead- 3 hered coating is, of course, rather thin and may, in the case of asingle dip, follow generally the contour of the form so that itsexterior surface will be sunken at points opposite the depressions onthe form. By increasingthe consistency of the bath, or by successivedipping operations, the exterior surface of the coat upon the form willbe rendered smooth and even, as shown in Fig. 4, withthe result that theinflated balloon will also be smooth, or relatively s0.- Such aconstruction 40 is referred to merely as an illustration of one of theways in which my invention may bepracticed, the design beingincorporated into the balloon walls in the manner previously explained.

In Figs. 5 and 6 I have shown two arbitrary examples of inflatedballoons having designs produced by thickening of the walls withindefinite areas which define desired objects or contours. The contour ofthe balloon walls, as shown in Fig. 5, is such as to resemble a fish,and by thickening the walls in accordance with a prearranged plan Imayproduce shadoweffects simulating scales l0, gills H, eyes l2, mouth 13,etc. In Fig. 6 the design is somewhat different in that .I have thereshown flying objects, of which some l M are shadowed over their entireothers I5 only around their contours.

Designs produced in the balloon walls in accordance with my inventionare permanent. The exterior surface of the inflated balloon may besmooth or otherwise. By locating the thickened area properly the balloonwalls will be constricted at spaced points with the result that theadjacent portions of the walls will be bulged or arched outwardly. Thereis accordingly an enhancement of such designs where forces ofconstriction are present, arising from oppositely located unevennesseson the exterior surface of the balloon. The extent or degree of thisunevenness depends upon several factors, such as difference in therelative thicknesses of the walls at and adjacent the points of design,inflation pressure in relation to elasticity of the balloon walls, etc.Enough has been described and illustrated, however, to indicate variouspossibilities in designs applicable to inflatable balloons whosetranslucent walls in every case are thickened inwardly at selectedpoints so as to interfere in varying degree with the transmission oflight rays therethrough whereby there is produced at such thickenedpoints shadowy effects which,

area, and

optionally, may be enhanced by a tangible distortion of the adjacentportions of the balloon walls, all as hereinbefore set forth.

I claim:

1. As a new article of manufacture, an inflatable toy balloon having itswalls each consisting of a single integral unitary-sheet and said wallsbeing composed of an elastic translucentmaterial Whose inner surface ischaracterized by relatively thickened areas each defining a desireddesign which in the form of a shadow is visible from the exterior of theballoon.

2. As a new article of manufacture, an inflatable toy balloon having itswalls each consisting of a single integral unitary sheet and said wallsbeing composed of an elastic translucent material the inner surface ofwhich is thickened along lines each of which extends peripherally of theballoon to define a band, visible as a shadow from the exterior of theballoon, and less elastic than the adjacent thinner wall portionswhereby the latter are free to expand more readily to produce upon theballoon exterior surface undulations extending between the bands.

ELIVIER E. KRUEGER.

